Charleston | South Carolina | USA: In the Driver’s Seat

Since 2011, South Carolina’s auto industry has attracted over $5 billion in capital investment and created nearly 8,000 related jobs. The Charleston region, with its heavy concentration of engineering talent, deepwater port, and strategic location along the eastern seaboard, is establishing itself as a major contributor to the Southeast’s rapidly expanding auto sector.

Advanced engineering and electronics company Robert Bosch manufactures car parts and accessories. The company’s local operation employs more than 1,500 associates and has expanded its facility six times since opening in 1973 in the region.

The Charleston region plays another vital role in the growth of South Carolina’s and the Southeast’s auto industry through exports. For example, the deepwater Port of Charleston exports BMW’s entire X-Series fleet—which is manufactured three hours northwest of Charleston, in Spartanburg, S.C.